Is Spitting An Assault

In the United States of America, spitting on another person intentionally is a kind of simple assault. The intention can arise out of anger or immediate feelings but it is an assault. It also means it is an attempted or completed battery.

People can behave irrationally and in an uncouth manner when they are having a verbal fight. Sometimes when the fight is aggravated it can result in spitting. However, spitting becomes an assault only when the victim decides to file charges. The law considers as a simple assault it can be erased from the records after some time. However, if the spitting was included along with physical violence, then irreparable damages are caused to your records. If it was just a matter of spitting, even though it is violent behavior, it can be sorted out eventually.

An assault means an attack on a person through aggravation or an act which is meant to demean or hurt the other person. In the United States, an assault is a punishable crime. However, the severity of the crime will decide what the punishment for the crime will be. Since spitting, even though a demeaning and insulting act, is not capable of hurting another person, the punishment for such an act would be anything from a public apology to some community services or compensation to be paid. However, when it comes to the case of spitting, several people can indulge in such an act indirectly and pressing charges based on the act alone is very difficult. There should be other incidents like verbal abuse or physical assault involved in the same case.

Any kind of assault is equivalent to battery, including sexual assault according to the common law of the US. Assault is considered as a misdemeanor and it also treated as a felony. A case of aggravated assault is clearly a felony and is punishable through jail time and sometimes heavy fines. More..